Planact is a non-governmental development organisation, incorporated as a Section 21 company in 1995, whose aim is to bring about local development for the poor within an integrated framework. Originally formed as a voluntary association of professionals in 1985, Planact has evolved into a well-established non-profit organisation whose contributions to urban development processes are widely known and valued. To contribute to the achievement of the strategic development goals of poverty eradication and deepening democracy, Planact’s work is directed towards promoting and supporting integrated human settlements and contributing to the local government transformation process and the development and strengthening of community-based organisations. These three focus areas form integrated components informing Planact’s work programme, described in more detail below.

Planact’s vision is that “all people in vulnerable situations live in habitable environments of their choice and are able to express and advance their interests freely”.

This programme is set to engage with, and influence actions at city wide-level with the results correlating and or contributing to the national level and referencing the results to the communities.

The aim of this programme is to show evidence of different successful methods of practice in supporting citizens to achieve improvements in the quality of their settlements or neighbourhoods. Read more.

This programme is set to engage with, and influence actions at national level between communities and government on development planning projects and issues that are of prime concern for underprivileged communities. The aim of the programme is to influence bureaucratic systems through improved participation, specifically at local government and add to policy regulation where necessary at a policy level through knowledgeable facts from executed pilot projects. Read more.

This programme is set to engage with, and influence actions at community level with the results correlating and or contributing to the city-wide level and the national level. The programme is aimed to demonstrate various processes of how citizens can identify assets within the communities, which are matched to available external resources. At this lowest level in improvement, the efficiency and success of policy and practice is illustrated. Read more.